Down regulation of prolactin receptors in the hamster ovary by the preovulatory gonadotropin surge.

Binding of 125I-prolactin (Prl) to hamster ovarian homogenates was found to decrease markedly at the time of the preovulatory gonadotropin surge (PGS). Saturation analysis revealed that the decrease was due to a reduction in the number of available Prl receptors and not due to a change in binding affinity. Loss of Prl receptors following the PGS was not affected by treatment with ergocryptine to block the release of pituitary Prl, indicating that the reduction in the number of available Prl receptors was not due to increased occupancy by endogenous Prl. Loss of Prl receptors was prevented by treatment with phenobarbital (Phen) to block the normal luteinizing hormone (LH)/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) surge; whereas, an injection of 50 micrograms of LH or 50 micrograms FSH (but not 100 micrograms Prl) induced a marked decrease in Prl receptors in Phen-treated hamsters. To determine whether Prl receptor loss induced by 50 micrograms FSH might be due to LH contamination, Phen-treated hamsters were injected with minimal ovulatory doses of LH and FSH. Injection of 5 micrograms or 2.5 micrograms LH induced a loss of Prl receptors in 90% and 70% of Phen-treated hamsters, respectively. In contrast, injection of 5 micrograms or 2.5 micrograms FSH induced a loss of Prl receptors in 0% and 20% of Phen-treated hamsters, respectively. These results indicate that the PGS causes an acute heterologous down regulation of ovarian Prl receptors and suggest that this down regulation may be due principally to the action of LH.